Hi! My name is Megan and my husband Joe and I have been married for 12 years! We have 4 kids: Ezekiel, Shay, Lucy, and Josie. We live on a little piece of property atop a hill surrounded by woods just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio! I am a labor and delivery nurse by trade but a full-time stay-at-home mom right now! Before we had kids, Joe and I lived in Kenya and spent a lot of time in Europe. Once we had kids we realized we wanted those things to still be an option for us, which is one of the reasons we decided to homeschool. We homeschool our kids and Joe works from home as a Director of Growth for a marketing agency. We love the flexibility it provides us as a family! When we aren't traveling with our kids I love to bake sourdough bread, tend to our garden, fruit trees, chickens, and play with my kids in our woods!
‍

What inspired you and your husband to homeschool your children?
My husband and I were both homeschooled growing up, so it was in our DNA in a way! But, I want to decide what our kids learn and be in control of their learning environment. We also love the flexibility to travel, explore, and spend time outside. Two of our kids' learning styles don't fit the traditional school system. It's amazing to enable each of our kids to learn in the way and at the pace that best fits them. We get to pick things that they are really passionate about to learn about and it makes it so fun. We also really wanted to set the foundation and teach our kids about what we value and help them build their character.

What is your favorite part about homeschooling?
I love the time it gives me with my kids! I like deciding with them what we are going to learn about, and what they are excited about. Plus, it gives our family a ton of flexibility to travel and pursue what is important to us!

What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever received?
My Dad told me a lot growing up and even as an adult, "Always take the high road." That will stick with me forever! Basically, go out of your way to do the right thing, always, and carry yourself with integrity even when no one is watching.

How does your family use Aro?
I put my phone in Aro for school time, which helps us all focus so we can get our work done in a timely manner. My husband will also put his phone in Aro when he is working. He works from home and takes his calls on his computer so he is able to really hone in and focus. We also have our phones in Aro for meal times, especially dinner! And we really really try to put our phones in Aro from Friday night to Saturday night for family rest and fun time!

Do you have a moment when you realized your phone was getting in the way of what’s important to you?
I was doing a math lesson with my 8-year-old Shay. She was having a hard time grasping a new concept and I was zoning out and losing my patience. I picked up my phone and started scrolling. She tried on her own for a few more minutes and then sadly said, "I guess we are finished with math." It broke my heart and was a big wake-up call! We do a lot of parent redos in our house so I apologized and made it right by finishing the lesson with my phone put away. I communicated so much to Shay by picking up my phone and zoning out. I heard Joey on a podcast that same week and ordered Aro immediately!

‍